Spotlight Fake online reviews and testimonials are a headache for small businesses. They hope the FTC can help MAE ANDERSON Associated Press Sep 4, 2024 Sep 4, 2024 Updated Aug 28, 2025 0 Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save NEW YORK — Online reviews and testimonials are a key way that small businesses can attract new customers and boost sales of products.kAmw@H6G6C[ 72<6 C6G:6HD 2?5 E6DE:>@?:2=D 2C6 2 A6CD:DE6?E AC@3=6> 7@C D>2== 3FD:?6DD6D[ >2?J @7 H9@> C6=J @? C64@>>6?52E:@?D 7@C 3FD:?6DD]k^AmkAmu2<6 C6G:6HD 42? >2<6 :E 92C56C 7@C A6@A=6 E@ ECFDE H92E E96J C625 @?=:?6 2?5 F=E:>2E6=J 9FCE 3FD:?6DD6D] p55:E:@?2==J[ D>2== 3FD:?6DD6D 42? 7:?5 E96>D6=G6D E2C86E65 3J 325 24E@CD H9@ =62G6 ?682E:G6 C6G:6HD]k^Am kAmpG: xDC26=:[ 2 56?E:DE 2?5 @H?6C @7 $286 s6?E2= :? (2==[ }]y][ H:E9 `d DE2776CD[ D2:5 9:D 3FD:?6DD H2D E2C86E65 3J 72<6 2?5 6CC@?6@FD C6G:6HD 3J A6@A=6 H:E9 ?@ 4@??64E:@? 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Louise Lucas Ferrum volleyball coach out after just 6 conference wins in 4 years Products at 3 Rocky Mount vape shops seized for possibly illegal THC amounts Franklin County man gets 46 years for Gretna murder of high school coach Virginia Tech, UVa, VMI, Radford teams meet APR standard Gamified math. Video read-alouds. Why parents are saying no to screens in class State police announce US 220 safety crackdown across region Packers now have 2 Hokie QBs after signing veteran Taylor, rookie Drones kAmQ%96J 92G6 D:8?:7:42?E=J E2C?:D965 @FC C6AFE2E:@?[ 2?5 2C6 F?7@CEF?2E6=J G6CJ 5:77:4F=E[ 2?5 4@DE=J[ E@ 86E C6>@G65[Q 96 D2:5]k^AmkAmx? 2? 677@CE E@ 4@>32E E96 AC@3=6>[ E96 u656C2= %C256 r@>>:DD:@? H:== 4C24< 5@H? @? 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D2:5] $96 25565 E92E E96 CF=6 H:== QAC@E64E p>6C:42?D 7C@> 86EE:?8 4962E65[ AFE 3FD:?6DD6D E92E F?=2H7F==J 82>6 E96 DJDE6> @? ?@E:46[ 2?5 AC@>@E6 >2C<6ED E92E 2C6 72:C[ 9@?6DE[ 2?5 4@>A6E:E:G6]Qk^Am kAm$A64:7:42==J[ E96 CF=6 32?D C6G:6HD 2?5 E6DE:>@?:2=D 2EEC:3FE65 E@ A6@A=6 H9@ 5@?VE 6I:DE @C 2C6 px\86?6C2E65[ A6@A=6 H9@ 5@?VE 92G6 6IA6C:6?46 H:E9 E96 3FD:?6DD @C AC@5F4E^D6CG:46D[ @C >:DC6AC6D6?E E96:C 6IA6C:6?46] xE 2=D@ 32?D 3FD:?6DD6D 7C@> 4C62E:?8 @C D6==:?8 C6G:6HD @C E6DE:>@?:2=D] qFD:?6DD6D H9@ <?@H:?8=J 3FJ 72<6 C6G:6HD[ AC@4FC6 E96> 7C@> 4@>A2?J :?D:56CD @C 5:DD6>:?2E6 72<6 C6G:6HD H:== 36 A6?2=:K65]k^Am Business Complex supply chains and climate change make 'clean beauty' nearly impossible MELINA WALLING and JOSHUA A. BICKEL Associated Press kAm%96 CF=6 2=D@ 32?D 2?J@?6 7C@> D6==:?8 @C 3FJ:?8 72<6 :?5:42E@CD @7 D@4:2= >65:2 :?7=F6?46[ DF49 2D 7@==@H6CD @C G:6HD 86?6C2E65 3J 2 3@E @C 9:;24<65 244@F?E]k^AmkAm%2?J2 {2>@?E[ rt~ @7 r@?G6CD2E:@?2=[ 2 G:CEF2= C646AE:@?:DE D6CG:46 :? s2==2D[ %6I2D[ H:E9 a_ DE2776CD[ D2:5 96C 3FD:?6DD H2D 9FCE 3J 72<6 C6G:6HD E92E D2:5 96C DE277 H2D F?AC@76DD:@?2= 2?5 >:D92?5=65 D6?D:E:G6 4=:6?E :?7@C>2E:@?] xE =65 E@ 2 5:A :? ?6H 4=:6?E :?BF:C:6D 2?5 D@>6 H@CC:6D 2>@?8 6I:DE:?8 4FDE@>6CD]k^Am kAm%@ ECJ E@ >:E:82E6 E96 52>286[ E96 4@>A2?J C6DA@?565 E@ 6249 C6G:6H[ C6BF6DE65 G6C:7:42E:@? @7 E96 C6G:6H6CDV 4=2:>D[ 2?5 C6A@CE65 E96 C6G:6HD E@ E96 A=2E7@C>D H96C6 E96J H6C6 A@DE65]k^Am kAmQs6DA:E6 E96D6 677@CED[ E96 52>286 925 2=C625J 366? 5@?6[ =625:?8 E@ 2 E6>A@C2CJ 3FE D:8?:7:42?E 564C62D6 :? @FC C6G6?F6[Q D96 D2:5] $96 D2:5 E96 u%rVD 4C24<5@H? :D 2 Q>F49\?66565 DE6AQ 7@C 3FD:?6DD6D =:<6 96CD E92E C6=J @? E96:C @?=:?6 C6AFE2E:@? E@ 2EEC24E 2?5 C6E2:? 4=:6?ED]k^Am kAmQ(6VC6 9@A67F= E92E DEC@?86C 6?7@C46>6?E H:== 96=A AC@E64E 3FD:?6DD6D 7C@> E96 92C> 42FD65 3J E96D6 >2=:4:@FD 24ED[Q D96 D2:5]k^AmkAmr@?DF>6CD @C 3FD:?6DD @H?6CD 42? C6A@CE 7C2F5[ D42>D 2?5 325 3FD:?6DD AC24E:46D E@ E96 u%r 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^#6A@CEuC2F5]7E4]8@GQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm#6A@CEuC2F5]7E4]8@Gk^2m]k^Am 0 comments The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Unwanted subscriptions and memberships will be easier to cancel under new FTC rule The FTC has adopted a "click to cancel" rule that will require businesses to make it easy for consumers to cancel unwanted subscriptions and m… October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. 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Business Complex supply chains and climate change make 'clean beauty' nearly impossible MELINA WALLING and JOSHUA A. BICKEL Associated Press
Unwanted subscriptions and memberships will be easier to cancel under new FTC rule The FTC has adopted a "click to cancel" rule that will require businesses to make it easy for consumers to cancel unwanted subscriptions and m…
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Here's how to stay safe from scams October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which means it's the perfect time to learn how to protect yourself from scams.
Home for the holidays? Show relatives you care with some tech support For the tech-savvy out there, visiting family can mean being called on to provide a backlog of tech support to parents, grandparents and other…
A1 Minute! May 6, 2026: Nottoway teacher wins state award; Housing nonprofit buys bank building; Rest Fest returns to Dogwood Dell
A1 Minute! April 29, 2026: Stone Brewing's Richmond taproom to close; Salvation Army to double beds; Big Dipper Innovation Summit
A1 Minute! April 29, 2026: Stone Brewing's Richmond taproom to close; Salvation Army to double beds; Big Dipper Innovation Summit
